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Creed.
    The Kubitz
government kept Controllers on each world of the Gothan Empire to maintain
records of all contracts signed. Any violation of a contract could easily
result in a clan’s lifetime banishment from participating in raiding
activities. Even an entire planet could suffer penalties. Normally a planet
would be given the choice of paying a hefty fine or refraining from raids for a
specific time period of a few days to several years. It was one reason why
contracts were almost never violated. The Dacronians would honor their contract
to ensure that their stellar reputation remained intact.
    “Once you receive
the signed contract, I will expect the one hundred million credits to be
deposited in my account on Kubitz within twenty-two hours.”
    “It will be
done,” replied Creed, standing up. “As a symbol of my appreciation, these gold
bars are a gift for your personal account.”
    For the first
time, Jarls allowed himself to smile. This might be a very profitable venture,
indeed, with High Profiteer Creed making this gesture. “Prepare your ships,” Jarls
said, rising and picking up the four gold bars. “With my protection, you’re
about to become very rich.”
    Creed didn’t
reply, as Clan Leader Jarls left the room, carrying the gold.
    -
    Since the bars
to Jarls were a personal gift, there would never be any record of this
transaction. It also ensured that the clan leader would do everything in his
power to keep Creed’s ships safe. Now Creed needed to return to the Command Center and make the necessary final arrangements to get his ships repaired and to
gather the fleet he planned to retake Earth with.
    When he was done,
there would be no gold, platinum, jewels, or major works of art left on the human
planet. Then, for years to come, humans could be taken and sold in the Kubitz
slave markets. There were enough human and humanoid races to make the Earth humans
a very desirable commodity, particularly in the sex trade. He suspected that
human females would be in high demand on Kubitz and the other worlds of the
Gothan Empire.
    -
    For two weeks
the evacuation had continued at a steady pace. On the surface of Earth, massive
rescue efforts were underway in the devastated cities hit by the nukes.
Hospitals were full of hundreds of thousands of people suffering from radiation
sickness, with more coming in every day. The early death toll from the
Profiteer bombardment had already climbed to over forty-two million worldwide.
Doctors and specialists were predicting another two to six million would die in
the next year from radiation poisoning and other immediate side effects. In the
long term, a drastic increase in cancer deaths were expected over the next few
decades.
    -
    “Rescue
efforts are continuing in the Chicago and the Washington, DC, areas,” President
Mayfield informed the other Cabinet members. “In DC we’re retrieving some of
the valuable historical documents stored there. The radiation levels are still
high, and our people can only work in some of the hotter areas for a few
hours.”
    “I’ve read the
reports, describing the near panic of people who live in close proximity to the
two stricken cities and how martial law has been declared in the surrounding
areas to ensure public safety. What are we doing to limit the spread of the
radiation?” asked Secretary of the Treasury Dwight Michaels.
    “We’re using cargo
planes filled with a special chemical,” General Braid said. “We’re also
spraying another agent to reduce the radiation in areas with high rad counts. We’re
enforcing a mandatory evacuation of everyone living within twenty miles of Chicago and Washington, some of the most heavily populated areas in the country.”
    “How many
people are we talking about?” asked Michaels.
    “We’re
evacuating slightly over three million people,” Braid replied. “We’re moving
them through triage centers and testing them for radiation. Those that test
high are detained and